Lehigh Acres resident Kathleen Dobash told the Lee County Hearing Examiner that county commissioners who have received campaign contributions from people associated with Troyer Brothers Florida's application for a mining permit should recuse themselves from voting on it.(Photo11: News-Press photo/Bill Smith)

Opponents to a proposed limerock mine in an environmentally sensitive area of southeast Lee County lined up to speak their piece Friday before the hearing examiner, with several urging rejection of the plan for environmental, safety and health reasons.

But not everyone living near a mine was against Troyer Brothers Florida Inc.'s bid for approval of a limerock mine projected to produce more than 3.4 million tons of rock per year on its property that runs between State Road 82 and Corkscrew Road.

Tommy Dykes, a longtime resident in southeast Lee County where mines have been operating for decades, says new mines mean hundreds of jobs.

"I live off Corkscrew Road in Estero and I have for 30 years. I believe the mine will benefit Southwest Florida and its economy," Dykes said. "The dump trucks are an entity in our economy, they have a right to make a living, they are not taking advantage of us, they are taking advantage of the situation."

Those mining trucks that haul tons of limerock from the mine to plants and construction sites are feared by some residents.

Troyer Brothers consultants have characterized the widening of S.R. 82 to six lanes from Colonial Boulevard to Swanee Road and to four lanes to the Hendry County line as alleviating concerns from motorists about competing for space on a two-lane road with a slow, heavy truck laden with rocks.

"Lehigh gets the shaft a lot in Lee County; we're not thought of," said Cynthia Currado. "We've waited and heard about these improvements that are coming, to see dump trucks barreling down that road when we have bus stops, a school, the park — it's really scary to me"

The impact of increased mining on the development of housing at prices within reach of the middle class, especially in areas that line State Road 82, was a concern for others.

"We are basically targeting to middle-class America," said Jennifer Kalbach who sells real estate in the area. "What can people expect to hear from vibrations from blasting — what kind of quality of life is that for someone who is trying to buy a piece of paradise."

Fifteen-year Southwest Florida resident Alessia Leather, vice chair of the conservation group eYes on Conservation 20/20 Coalition, said mine-related blasting could interfere with decades of work and the publicly funded acquisition of conservation land that has become a habitat for birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and the Florida panther.

Attacks on the mine include criticism of the process used to advance the case that additional limerock mining is needed.

Pete Cangialosi, environmental director for the Estero Council of Community Leaders, urged Chief Hearing Examiner Donna Marie Collins to ask for a "thorough review" of a study that used controversial methodology to determine future limerock needs for more housing.

A proposal to allow limerock mining on an east Lee County site has been advanced by county commissioners.(Photo11: NEWS-PRESS STAFF FILE PHOTO)

"We saw the limerock mines running around the clock during the boom years with a constant stream of heavy trucks leaving the mines, then during the recession, the mines that remained open ran with skeleton crews and relatively few trucks left the mines," Cangialosi said. "The past few years of boom growth have caused the mines to re-activate, but the permanent population of Lee County hardly changed that much."

A Lehigh resident questioned the connection between campaign funds and a perception that county commissioners are kindly disposed to approving mining applications.

"I question the integrity of the process," said resident Kathleen Dobash

She asked for public records of campaign contributions to county commissioners from the Troyer interests.

Location of proposed Troyer Brothers limerock mine on land currently used to grow potatoes off State Road 82(Photo11: Lee County graphic)

I'm used to politics and I understand play to pay tactics," said Dobash, who served as an elected county council member in Pennsylvania before moving to Southwest Florida. "I think the process and the integrity of the hearings and the commissioners' vote on the application is not forthright ... if a donation was made, that commissioner needs to recuse themselves."

Even though spoken during a hearing, the hearing examiner told county officials during a recess that her remarks are considered by state law to be a formal public records request.

Hearings will continue on July 31, when a planning consultant hired by Sakata Seed America is expected to make an extensive presentation in an effort to rebut the request made by Troyer Brothers.